Investigations


NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
STRUCTURE
EA08016HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY08/21/200804/20/2009FRONT SUB-FRAME CORROSION09V124000
 In a letter dated april 14, 2009, hyundai-kia america technical center, inc (hyundai) notified nhtsa that hyundaiis conducting a safety recall of model year (my) 1999 through 2004 hyundai sonata vehicles manufactured prior to november 20, 2003 that are registered and operated in the following salt belt states and the district of columbia: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin.hyundai is recalling the vehicles to remedy a condition where internal corrosion of the front subframe may lead to separation of the lower control arm at the forward mounting point and/or separation of the axle from the transaxle.this could result in a loss of vehicle control and/or vehicle disablement. the subframes will be inspected in the recalled vehicles using a procedure developed by hyundai to measure metal thickness.parts with perforations from corrosion or with metal below the specified thickness will be replaced with redesigned subframes.if the minimum metal thickness is met, drainage holes and rust proofing material will be added to the existing subframe. odi's analysis of complaint data revealed that 98% of the consumer complaints were from vehicles either originally sold or operated in saltbelt states. similarly 99.7% of the warranty claims were from vehicles originally sold or operated in saltbelt states.odi identified 105 reports of lower control arm detachment and/or axle separation from the transaxle through analysis of warranty and complaint information and consumer interviews.one hundred three (103) of the 105 incidents involved vehicles in states covered by the recall.in addition to the subject vehicles, hyundai also noted in the april 14, 2009 letter that my 2001 through 2004 xg300 and xg350 were also being recalled as they were manufactured with subframes similar in design the subject vehicles.based on hyundai's decision to conduct a safety recall this engineering analysis is closed.
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS
EA08016HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY08/21/200804/20/2009FRONT SUB-FRAME CORROSION09V124000
 In a letter dated april 14, 2009, hyundai-kia america technical center, inc (hyundai) notified nhtsa that hyundaiis conducting a safety recall of model year (my) 1999 through 2004 hyundai sonata vehicles manufactured prior to november 20, 2003 that are registered and operated in the following salt belt states and the district of columbia: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin.hyundai is recalling the vehicles to remedy a condition where internal corrosion of the front subframe may lead to separation of the lower control arm at the forward mounting point and/or separation of the axle from the transaxle.this could result in a loss of vehicle control and/or vehicle disablement. the subframes will be inspected in the recalled vehicles using a procedure developed by hyundai to measure metal thickness.parts with perforations from corrosion or with metal below the specified thickness will be replaced with redesigned subframes.if the minimum metal thickness is met, drainage holes and rust proofing material will be added to the existing subframe. odi's analysis of complaint data revealed that 98% of the consumer complaints were from vehicles either originally sold or operated in saltbelt states. similarly 99.7% of the warranty claims were from vehicles originally sold or operated in saltbelt states.odi identified 105 reports of lower control arm detachment and/or axle separation from the transaxle through analysis of warranty and complaint information and consumer interviews.one hundred three (103) of the 105 incidents involved vehicles in states covered by the recall.in addition to the subject vehicles, hyundai also noted in the april 14, 2009 letter that my 2001 through 2004 xg300 and xg350 were also being recalled as they were manufactured with subframes similar in design the subject vehicles.based on hyundai's decision to conduct a safety recall this engineering analysis is closed.

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STRUCTURE
01/23/20101000001
 I own a 1999 hyundai sonata and was informed by my mechanic that the front sub frame on the passenger side is rusted through, presenting a severe safety risk to the driver and passengers. there is currently a manufacturer
06/13/20082050001
 1999 hyundai sonata gls failed pa state inspection due to a rusted k frame ( frame that supports front suspension & motor). this is a 9 year old car original owner with 205,000. this should not have happened on a 9 year old car from pa. we want to know if there were other complaints from sonata owners with the same problem. as i said, this should not be happening. *tr
07/14/20081307061
 The car (1999 sonata gls v6) had a front end alignment done by sears july 6, 2008 at kenosha wi. the failure occurred (july 14, 2008) when the car was being driven into the hospital parking garage (waukegan illinois). the car speed was 5 mph when it made a grinding sound and jolted to a stop. sparks from under the car were witnessed by security guard who it reported to the driver of car. the car would not start and had to be pushed out of road to prevent blocking traffic. inspection of the vehicle showed the subframe broke from corrosion causing the engine to drop then breaking the axle shaft. the car would not start and had to towed back to home by aaa. currently have complaint at hyundai dealer where car was purchased. working with hyundai service manager who states first he has heard of it. the auto technician employed at the shop states is a common item. the car has been in the shop several times for intermittent air bag light that would come on and remain on. the air bag light could not be found what was causing the problem. *tr
12/18/200773800101/25/2000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 hyundai sonata gls. while driving between 5-10 mph, the contact heard a clunking noise and the vehicle suddenly stopped. she could not remember if she was accelerating or braking at the time. the engine was still running. prior to the failure, the vehicle was pulling to the right as if an alignment was needed. the vehicle was towed. the repair shop stated that the frame under the vehicle rotted and caused the axle to slip. the shop repaired the passenger side front frame rail, reassembled the suspension, and reinstalled the axle. the failure mileage was 73,800 and current mileage was 73,900. updated 01/29/08 updated 01/29/08 *tr
STRUCTURE - BODY
03/26/20091120001
 The issue is identical to the one on record for structure issues on this car. while driving the front passenger wheel and it's assembly flew off from the car. the car had been having some steering difficulty's and i was actually bringing it in to the firestone station- it actually happened right in front of the firestone center. the tire arm connecting to the frame was totally rusted out. the price to fix the car will be totally astronomical. there should be no reason that the car would rust out and cause that damage- it is 10 years old. we had even bought the extra rust package on the car. i or someone else could have been killed and serious damage. luckily, i am a firefighter and am used to handling vehicles. i believe hyundai should compensate somehow and should be held liable. why were we never notifies that there was an issue????? *tr
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS
10/04/2010135150
 Vehicle had developed a front end alignment problem, and i scheduled an alignment. the morning before the scheduled alignment, i was pulling out of my driveway to go to work when the right inner cv joint disintegrated. investigation revealed severe subframe corrosion resulting in the control arm mount separating from the subframe, causing the cv joint to fail and the vehicle to become inoperable. nshta and hyundai issued a recall in 2009, campaign id number: 09v124000. however, the state i reside in (nebraska) is not listed as a salt belt state and is not covered by the recall. nebraska does indeed use salt on the roads, and the description of the fault and potential results matches exactly with the rust and corrosion on my vehicle's subframe and the results. i believe it likely that there are other motorists in the state of nebraska who are driving these vehicles with this hidden and potentially very dangerous fault. the hyndai dealer has been unable to help me so far with a fault resolution per the recall.
09/20/2010129500
 I have a defective subframe on a 1999 sonata purchased new in iowa and driven there for 4 years. it has completely rusted out on the passenger front side causing steering control arms and drive axle to break loose from vehicle and making vehicle inoperable. this should be covered under hyundai recall campaign 089. nhtsa campaign id no. 09v124000. i am getting no response as to if they will cover this damage and replace subframe from the local dealer tamiami hyundai in naples, fl and have also contacted the hyundai customer assistance center 3 times to no avail. i was told by a mechanic that if this would have happened at highway speeds i would have probably lost control of vehicle and it would have rolled. never since i owned the vehicle was told of this recall and they currently state the vin of the vehicle is not being shown in the recall list, but it was purchased new in iowa so it should be included.
10/01/20091200001
 On 1 oct 2009 my son was driving his 1999 hyundai sonata gls from his high school to pick up his sister at the daycare just down the road. upon pulling into the daycare parking lot he heard a loud sound and the front passenger side of the vehicle dropped significantly. he immediately stopped the vehicle and got out to see if he had hit something or to see exactly what had happened. upon inspection the front passenger side a-frame had completely rusted out of the sub frame of the vehicle causing it to break completely off. thankfully he was traveling at a low rate of speed or it could have caused a major accident or even further damage to the vehicle. upon research it was discovered that there is a nhtsa campaign id number: 09v124000 that addresses this same issue, however it looks like it doesn't cover a recall of the 1999 model and when i contacted the dealership they stated there was no recall for this vehicle. you can contact me at thomas.keyser@jcse.mil or at 813-451-6532. i?m highly concerned for the safety for anyone that drives this vehicle and i feel that since this seems to be a systemic issue that it should be covered under the factory recall campaign as this vehicle was originally titled in missouri. *tr
06/27/20091763951
 Driving down the road the car began to pull to the right. could barely drive to the shop. they found out the frame was rusted so bad it was not drivable. the tire which were new just 3 months ago were totally bald. the car, a 1999 hyundai sonata, is now not drivable. *tr
02/10/20091348281
 While driving the vehicle suddenly pulled sharply to the right. there was a bad grinding noise when ever we turned a corner. this happened as my wife was coming home from work. i took it to test drive and was surprised with how difficult it was to control. i took it to my mechanic and he said the sub frame was completely rusted through and the vehicle was not safe to operate. he was able to find a used sub frame to replace it and i did save the old sub frame. *tr
03/26/20091120001
 The issue is identical to the one on record for structure issues on this car. while driving the front passenger wheel and it's assembly flew off from the car. the car had been having some steering difficulty's and i was actually bringing it in to the firestone station- it actually happened right in front of the firestone center. the tire arm connecting to the frame was totally rusted out. the price to fix the car will be totally astronomical. there should be no reason that the car would rust out and cause that damage- it is 10 years old. we had even bought the extra rust package on the car. i or someone else could have been killed and serious damage. luckily, i am a firefighter and am used to handling vehicles. i believe hyundai should compensate somehow and should be held liable. why were we never notifies that there was an issue????? *tr
02/08/20091350001
 1999 hyundai sonata gls. car felt like it was hydroplaning without it raining or snowing. felt like it the steering was out of control. noticed that right tire was sticking out of the well so i went to have the front tires replaced and aligned. while replacing front tires the mechanic noticed that the tires bend inward. they could not do the alignment as he felt something was broken on the frame. referred to an auto body shop. the mechanic informed that the subframe had holes throughout due to rust and rot. he has seen this before with the same make, model, and year of the car. the car is completely unsafe to drive and was informed that the wheels or engine could fall out at anytime. also informed that a subframe should not rust or rot. i researched online and found that numerous complaints have been made due to this subframe issue. contacted the hyundai national line directly and opened up a case# 3505497. awaiting the outcome at this time. *tr
12/24/2008854511
 1999 hyundai sonata gls the right side frame is almost completely rusted thru. i caught it before i wrecked the car or ran into someone due to it resting apart. this should not be happening it is very safe and left alone could cause fatal injuries. *tr
11/28/20081250001
 I have a 1999 hyundai sonata which broke down yesterday due badly rusted huge hole on the front right side of the frame. this made the vehicle disabled and can not be driven. this also resulted in the damage to the wheel joints the mechanic told me that the whole front frame had to be replaced. he also told me that there would be a lot of expense to fix the car. i was reading about the similar problems for the sonata cars that were made during the 1999-2002 were having similar problems and the nhtsa was investigating the matter. please advice me the further courses of action. *tr
11/13/20081
 Noticed that the tires were getting misaligned and the car keeps pulling to the right. finally took the tire off and noticed that the passenger side sub-frame is rusted all the way through where all the suspension attachments are barely holding in its place. nothing has been done to fix the issue at this moment due to its repair cost vs what the vehicle is worth. *tr
08/25/20081505421
 I had absolutely no idea of a problem and there were no symptoms until my backyard mechanic, while he was replacing my brake rotors, mentioned the frame where the front passenger wheel connects to the frame was almost rusted through. i took it to the hyundai dealership and they were aware of the problem. they fixed it and told me they replaced the complete front sub frame, they also called it the engine cradle, and on the paperwork they replaced 62405-38100 cross member and two bolts. they commented 150542 replace the k frame it is very rusty the dealer assured me they completely inspected the underside of the vehicle and found no other rust of consequence. they also assured me no components were damaged or needed replacement. this was performed with no cost to me. *tr
08/10/20081125001
 Corrosion of front sub-frame let to separation of lower control arm from sub frame. this caused right front wheel to collapse and loss of steering. *tr
07/10/200896000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 hyundai sonata gls. the contact stated that there were half-dollar sized holes in the frame of the vehicle. there were also cracks in the frame. he called several junk yards to find a frame for the vehicle. each one stated that they were hard to find due to the trend of rust and corrosion on this make and model vehicle. there is currently an open investigation for the hyundai sonata (nhtsa action number pe08029). the failure and current mileages were 96,000.
08/05/20081006001
 I was driving and slowing down for a stoplight. the car made a loud band and was disabled. the right front tire was bent. after getting home and jacking the car up the lower control arm had broken away from the rusty frame. i think this cause a cvc joint failure. *tr
08/04/2008103000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1999 hyundai sonata gls. the contact stated that the frame has rotted out by the control arm on her vehicle. she feels that this is a safety issue because the tire has fallen off due to the rotted out frame and a serious crash could have occurred. the current and failure mileages were 103,000.
08/02/2008835681
 I found that you are investigating 1999 sonata subframe rusting. i was informed today 8/2/08 while getting my oil changed,that the subframe needed to be replaced because of rusting. this component is attached to the front suspension,engine,etc. is hyundai responsible for the replacement of this part,since it is a safety issue? *tr
07/11/2008850001
 1999 hyundai sonata gls sub-frame rusted causing front passenger side wheel to collapse. ken dixon hyundai located in waldorf, md estimated that the repair will cost me $3,500.00 dollars and that the repair is not covered under hyundais' 10 year, 100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. my hyundai is less than 10 yrs old and the mileage is well under 100,00 miles. this is ridiculous because this appears to be a manufacturers defect thereby hyundai is clearly failing to honor their dealer warranty. i would like to contest this decision and seek assistance from your office in resolving this situation with hyundai of america and their neglecting to honor their own warranty. *tr
06/18/2008960001
 1999 hyundai sonata front right wheel was severed from frame while my daughter, who is a new diver, was driving, frame was badly rusted. car was in for service 6 months ago to have front struts replaced and dealer did not indicate that there was a problem or that they have been seeing this in other similar cars. after researching this i can see that these cars have a problem and need to be pulled from the road before serious harm comes from this issue. hyundai should take responsibility for this serious problem. the car has 96,000 miles and hyundai is replacing the sub frame under warranty, but my concern is that they are not telling anyone prior to failure and someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed. *tr
05/15/20081340001
 I own a 1999 hyundai sonata. i took it to my mechanic to inspect a wobbling in the car. when they inspected it, they said the subframe was almost rusted through and they would not touch it for liability reasons. i have since read of others with the exact same problem with this year and model. i am going to speak to the hyundai dealer today to see what they can do for me. this should not happen. *tr
04/30/20081200001
 One night about 10 days ago i heard a crunching sound when i drove my 1999 hyundai sonata over a small bump where is a couple hundred feet away from home. then the next day the steeling wheel suddenly tilted 45 degree left while i was trying to keep the car going straight. when i stop the car and check, both the front tires were out of position, especially the right front one whose bottom is pulled outward and upper inward. i brought the car to a mechanic and when they lift the car to check the control arms we were all shocked to see a huge rusting hole on the right front subframe under engine cradle, while the left side subframe seemed intact. it was almost broken and the mechanics told me that they never seen anything like that in 20+ years of service and even the body shops is doubtfully can fix that. so i called local hyundai dealer in centerville, oh for an appointment. these was all happened before i searched and found many postings on line and aware of the investigation of nhtsa (pe08029) for this specific car failure. the mileage of my car was around 120,000 when it occurred. *tr
10/01/2007990001
 Car #1--passenger side frame rusted creating a fist sized hole causing vehicle to steer aimlessly due to instability of steering structure: car #2--passenger side frame rusted causing wheels to become inoperable and unable to steer car in april 2008. same model of hyundai, 2 different cars. *tr
03/07/2008900001
 I own a 1999 hyundai sonata. i like many others in the 99-2000 my have experienced the right side sub frame rust defect/safety issue. my daughter was driving the car on a winding road, coming home from work. she called me and said car was disabled. she stated car began to pull to the right on a curve, made a loud noise....and became disabled. fortunately a couple people had stopped and helped her get it to the side of the road. when i got there the right wheel was angled in at the top. it was clearly damaged. the subframe had rusted out and wheel shaft pulled out of the engine. the upper control arm too was damaged. clearly a safety issue let alone a defect.............i thank god she was not injured and that so far it appears that many that have reported same problem have not been injured. *tr
11/13/200785225109/11/2006
 I have an 1999 hyundai sonata my alignment was off from a pot hole. so i took it to get it repair. they told me that the engine cradle was rusted so bad that the arm came out of it. they said it is unsafe to drive. it only has 85,225 miles on the car to replace the cradle it is 1,800.00. i contacted hyundai they said my warranty is up and there not going to fix it. i found that this a common problem with this year of sonata. its has caused one wreck that i now of. there is a flaw in the design of the cradle. there is only one hole in the front to let water in and out so if the water goes in the air blows it to the back and there's where it stays and that's the rust starts. *tr
08/23/2007119000107/06/1999
 Front sub-frame failure due to premature rusting. part was replaced by hyundai at no cost, even though the car was 19,000 miles past the warranty period. there was another front sub-frame in the service bay of the dealership with very similar corrosion damage in a very similar location. that dealer is located at 7115 brood park road, parma ohio (ganley parma imports). *jb
05/10/200784000107/17/1999
 Approaching a stop sign at an intersection near work, the car made a loud kind of crunching noise and came to a sudden stop. i noticed that my car was leaning down a little in the front on the right side. from inside it looked like i had a flat, but when i got out of the car to check i noticed that the right front tire was leaning out towards the curb and appeared to have broken off. i tried to move the car to the side of the street, but it wouldn't move. i eventually had my car towed to a local mechanic. i was informed by the mechanic that the lower control arm had rotted away from the subframe. since i had an extended warranty, bumper-to-bumper, i called the company, universal underwriters service corporation. they later informed my mechanic that they wouldn't cover anything because the subframe was not included as a covered part and also because the damage was caused by corrosion and corrosion voids all coverage. i then contacted the hyundai dealer who also told me the same thing. it cost me $2000 to get the car fixed. when i went to pick up the car, the mechanic showed me the old subframe and where it had rotted out and i couldn't believe what i was looking at. you couldn't even see where the two holes that the lower control arm bolts into were. there were just two big gaping holes surrounded by rusted metal. he told me that the new subframe had three drain holes on both sides of the subframe that would allow water to drain out. because the old subframe didn't have any drain holes, he felt that this meant that hyundai made the changes for some reason. he also mentioned that i was lucky that this didn't happen to me while i was driving faster on a major highway. i have found other sonata owners on this site with the same problem. i am concerned for other sonata owners who may be driving a product with a clear manufacture flaw. this looks like a safety concern for the owner and for others on the road. i currently have the part in my garage. *tr
04/04/200772900102/10/1999
 When changing the oil on 1999 hyundia sonata gls notice dlarge rust holes on the subframe structure, and it was on the passenger side. this subframe is the engine cradle and also connects to the suspension. the hole was large and completely rusted through the part. there is a creaking in the front end when hitting a bump as well. i took it to the dealer the next day and they advised me to replace the part as soon as possible, part-$1400, labor-$600-700. they said it was out of warranty, and that hyundia would not cover it. also, they also they never have seen this before. i then contacted consumer affairs at hyundia and they contacted the dealer for information on the issue, and they said that the car was way past warranty and that it would not be covered. i asked if this has ever been noted before, and he said they have no record of this failure. the tech nician at the dealer said that the car was a risk to drive at speed. *ak
06/12/2006131000105/27/2004
 Front passenger wheel wobble. eventually grew to cause vehicle to swerve badly. took it to our mechanic where it was determined that the sub-frame was rusted through. replaced the sub-frame with new. old had only two holes to allow water to drain out, whereas new had eight drain holes and was twice the weight of the original. neither the mechanic nor alignment tech could believe that a vehicle with no sign of rust anywhere, would have this problem. we spent approximately 1,700.00 for the repair. i do not have the old part, but did take several digital photos to document the severity of the problem. the mechanic could give his account as well. as a son of an automobile mechanic i could recognize the seriousness of the problem before it went failure. someone else might not and could easily cost someone's life. as a matter of good conscience, i was compelled to report the problem. *jb
07/29/2006105340102/14/2006
 My son was driving home from the local pizza shop when he noticed the car was making a strange noise. he asked me to look at it, so, i took it for a short ride around the block. i was halfway around the block, moving at a speed under 5 mph, when a loud grinding and pounding noise occurred. something serious enough to disable the vehicle had happened. i got out and saw the right front wheel was pointed outward, and had settled back against the wheel well. thank god he wasn't on the highway when this occurred. i had it towed to the local service station where it was diagnosed with a rotted out sub frame. this vehicle shows no signs of rot or rust. certainly nothing that would prompt an inspection of this part. yet, there were practically no warning signs of how extremely dangerous it was to operate the vehicle. i checked with the local dealer, as directed by the corporate website (i wasn't able to get a hold of them directly), they claimed they no past history of this type of failure. however, their response to the problem gave me the feeling this wasn't the first time they'd heard of this part failing. because this is not an isolated incident, as per the posting on your website, i'm requesting you further research this issue. if there is a problem, such as premature deterioration due to the use of sub-standard materials, your proactive approach, could once again, be instrumental in preventing catastrophic injuries or even fatalities. if there is anything i can do to assist, please feel free to contact me. *nm
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS
01/07/200896048102/06/1999
 On 1/7/08 while driving '99 hyundai sonata gls to work, pulled right proceeding down road. possible leak from brake cylinders/ brake lines, nothing. return trip, vehicle extremely erratic steering. took to dealer of purchase (bb hyundai, south brunswick, nj). delivered on 1/07/08 by driving vehicle. vehicle extremely difficult to steer/ control, driving speed 25-30 mph. vehicle delivered to bb w/96062 miles. service mgr (lc) took information regarding problem - diagnostic cost of $95 +tax. agreement made to determine failure. informed by service mgr of problem - sub-frame rusted away - cost in excess $3400. why not covered by warranty (10 yr or 100,000 miles) -rust' was covered. told auto not allowed on road. question absence of warranty since sub-frame required part of front driven auto. response given - buy a new car. refused authorization to replace sub-frame. i contacted hyundai usa corporate cs (j) problem conveyed /why no warranty coverage. reply-you must live by water,you are in nj, why it rusted out. told arrangements made for further investigation. rec'd call (lc) contact from hyundai, rep to review next day, with call from lc. on 1/11/08, no results from lc, to call back. lc call at 1pm, hyundai, as a good will gesture, to cover cost of sub-frame, not labor; costs unknown. recall hyundai(d) i never heard of such a problem!', transfer to j -advised to 'jump on offer. recall lc, cost unknown. costs required by dir/parts/ hyundai. recall hyundai (t)hyundai is aware of problem - rusting sub-frames, working on same. request supervisor, company policy directive, parts director with authority. contact bbb, 1/12/08, call lc, no cost value from maintanence supervisor cost. lc call@ 4 pm - cost $850, need okay to continue. recall lc 5 pm - ok. informed new sub-frame would not arrive until 1/16-1/17/18. requested old sub-frame upon payment of labor - unable to comply was the answer. *tr